Ancient Skeleton DNA Reveals More Information on Previously Unknown Humans
An ancient teen girl's skeleton discovered in Sulawesi, Indonesia, had DNA that has revealed previously unrecognized groups of early humans and offered information on the evolution of our species.
Last year, a team of researchers reported their findings in the journal Nature1 regarding the discovery of the stone-age skeleton that was located in a cave on the Indonesian island of Sulawesi. Scientists discovered that the girl's DNA belonged to a previously unidentified group of people after examining the skeleton of a hunter-gatherer who lived more than 7,000 years ago. They anticipate that the discovery will clarify the poorly understood development of early humans in Asia.

The girl, who was thought to be eighteen years old, has been connected by experts to a subgroup of early humans known as the Toaleans. This subgroup of early humans is exclusive to the island of Sulawesi and has its own distinctive culture. The Toaleans had a long history and have been connected to some of the oldest cave art in the world. From about 8,000 years ago to the fifth century AD, the Toaleans flourished in the area.
Even though her bones, interred among artfully positioned stones, were found in 2015, scientists have just just made public their discoveries regarding her DNA, which was taken from a bone at the base of her skull and is connected to the Toaleans. She has delivered the first complete DNA sample from any ancient skeleton in that area, and her skeleton is the most complete and well-preserved of all Toalean bones discovered so far. Ancient remains are quite scarce in the area because of how quickly biological material deteriorates in the hot, humid atmosphere.
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